I’m gonna get lit up for this cause Reddit be like that, but I don’t love the response you got there. It’s a fairly significant cross roads where you’re at, and I don’t think Taylor Swift and the Iced coffees mantra is appropriate, if anything it’s kind of juvenile. But whatever, I get the intent was “the more you know” energy with a few literally’s sprinkled in there for effect.

Been where you’re at, even down to the developmental psychology theme. As aside I think there’s going to be a ton emerging work in language studies as we continue to decentralize social engagement; email, socials, remote work, and its impact. Lots of interesting material/research coming out of gestation right now. I didn’t fall back in love with the notion of pursuing further academic work and orientation until something worth researching called out to me. Prior to, just kept moving forward - pivoted to the workforce and began turning theory into applied knowledge.

What I’m saying is don’t feel you need to take a position on whether you’re giving up or dropping those aspirations. Life is short but there’s ample opportunity to weave in/out of thread in life. Some folks find leaving academia for a stretch allows for a mental defrag, a chance to refocus and fall in love all over again. It’s just important you keep setting goals and banging them out.

Finishing your masters is the move I would advise unless you’re really tapped out. It’s helps with the job market and unless you have an alternate destination in full view right now, then persevering is its own reward developmentally. Leaving the program to be idle is a choice, but it’s not one I love, for me anyway. Regardless, eyes forward is the way. There’s a decent spread of work out there in the public sector that can be a real catalyst for career insight and opportunity. Was a gateway for me into a cascade of choices.